I was about to write a post all about balance during the holiday season and how I was getting so much better at juggling all the cheer along with the stress, and how you too could follow my simple strategies to become head elf. But then I made it a whopping six days into December and had a Christmastime meltdown. So I’m obviously no expert.
Instead of giving you tips on how to plan your month, I’m going to give you one piece of advice that I should have been heeding this whole time: check in with yourself.
Check in with how you’re feeling about the month ahead, the plans you’d like to make and what you’ve got to accomplish. And, most importantly, keep checking in with yourself to make sure that you’re not on the fast track to holiday burnout just so you can complete your Christmas bucket list.
And that’s where I was on December 6, having a serious bout of anxiety over a can of poppy seed pie filling. My moment of near-tears was not about poppy seeds, of course, but just my holiday stress coming to a head. I was behind on my stitching goals, I had a kitchen to clean and I had to make and photograph potica for work – a recipe that I’ve made before, but was incredibly nervous about sharing. It was just a lot.
So when I came home, I asked myself what I needed to bring myself back. It wasn’t stopping at another grocery store for poppy seeds. It wasn’t sitting down and stitching. Instead, I gave myself permission to just have a lazy night. I put on some pajamas, wrapped a few presents and watched some Food Network. And that’s what I needed – just a short break so I could regroup and come back refreshed the next morning.
So, take it from me, the girl crying in a Piggly Wiggly, that taking some time to figure out what you need personally (not just what you need to accomplish), is absolutely necessary for making it through the holidays. Whether it’s more plans with friends or more cozy days in, be sure to to take the kind of time you need to feel your merriest and brightest.
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